Golden Solrock
by ShadowedTactician
Summary: The story of Golden Sun, retold with the concepts of Pokémon. Cowritten with Hurricane's Quill.
1. Prologue

_Before anyone accuses me of stealing Hurricane's Quill's story of Golden Solrock in the Golden Sun sector, I'd like to state beforehand that as of now, Hurricane and I are co-authoring this crossover. In fact, before HQ had published his first chapter a year ago, I suggested some concepts and ideas for a Golden Sun/Pokémon crossover he planned on working on. With no updates for months, I offered to help him with his project, to his approval. This chapter is mostly identical to its original with some changes to the concepts and linguistic usage, but the subsequent chapter is written by yours truly, proofread and approved by Hurricane's Quill. _

_Now, on with the story..._

* * *

**Golden Solrock  
Prologue  
Secrets Unvaled**

* * *

"Isaac, wake up!"

The boy named Isaac didn't stir. He was in the middle of a peaceful nap and hardly felt like being disturbed.

"Please dear, wake up!"

Isaac grunted something that sounded like, "Why should I?"

"The Mt. Aleph Boulder is going to fall!"

Isaac's eyes shot open at this as he made a quick survey of his surroundings. The house itself seemed to rumbling, a stark contrast to the peaceful environment he noticed before he slept. The lamps flickered and the roof shook as if something was threatening to rip it to shreds.

"Please, Isaac," pleaded his mother. "We have to go…now!"

Isaac flopped out of bed and grabbed a Pokéball that was on his nightstand. He looked at his mother, Dora, as he put it on his belt.

"Isaac," she said. "You forgot something."

Suddenly, Dora shut her eyes, creating an outstretched hand of energy that grabbed a tunic off the wall.

"It's pouring outside," she said. "Don't go without your tunic."

She quickly put it on him. The two headed out to the stairs heading down.

"Do you have everything you need?" asked Dora.

Isaac double-checked to see if the Poké Ball was there and nodded.

"Good for you, Isaac," nodded Dora. "A lost possession can be replaced, a lost life can't."

They nodded and headed downstairs, where Isaac's father, Kyle ran in from outside.

"Isaac, Dora, hurry!" he urged. "The Boulder to fall at any minute!"

Just as Dora and Isaac passed a lit candle, the said candle went out. Worried that it could be an ill omen, the two stared at it for a moment before following Kyle out the door.

It was indeed raining outside, heavily.

"Kyle," said Dora worriedly. "Will they be able to stop the Boulder?"

Kyle looked to the north.

"I don't think so," said Kyle grimly. "Not for long, anyway. You two go on ahead and take refuge in the plaza."

"What, aren't you coming?" Dora asked.

"I need to help evacuate to the other villagers," Kyle shook his head.

"Let me help you!" pleaded Dora.

"It's too dangerous," replied Kyle. "Just take care of Isaac!"

"Isaac's old enough to get to the plaza on his own," Dora insisted. "You do remember the way, right?"

"Sure," said Isaac. "Just head south."

"Right," said Dora, calling out her own Pokémon, which turned out to be a triplet of moles, each with a round pink nose. "Dugtrio," they chanted.

Kyle also released his Pokémon, a large brown bird with a long yellow plumage. "Pidgeot," it crooned.

"Be careful!" called Dora as she ran off.

For a moment, Isaac stood there, transfixed. Then he pulled out his Pokémon, a brown mouse.

"Come on, Sandshrew," he said. "We'd better get moving."

"Shrew," said the Sandshrew, nodding.

They turned to the south, only to find a large boulder in the way.

"Darn," said Isaac. "We're blocked. Let's try another way.

On their way, Isaac and Sandshrew saw a large redhead was pulling a large chest. Also tugging was a red chick with twin orange wings and three orange feathers on its head: a Torchic. The chest was nearly as big as the redhead, so it wasn't going anywhere. It took a few moments for Isaac to realise who the redhead was.

"Garet?" asked Isaac in disbelief.

"What do you want, Isaac?" asked Garet. "I'm trying to save my things!"

Isaac's Sandshrew tilted its head in confusion. So did Isaac.

"Garet, there's no time for that," said Isaac. "It'll take to long to get out of here with your stuff before the Boulder hits. We should evacuate while our heads are still on our shoulders."

"What, you think I should ditch my stuff and save my own life?" asked Garet as he and his Torchic gave another fruitless tug on the rope around the chest.

"Well, duh," said Isaac.

Garet stood there as his brain crunched the numbers.

"You know what," he said. "You're right! Torchic, let's get out of here!"

"Torchic tor," said Torchic.

The two of them ran off, crossing the bridge and barely started south when something crashed.

"Ahhh!" someone screamed. "The Boulder! It's falling!"

Isaac and Garet stopped cold. Near the northern edge of the village, four people and their Pokemon, all of them gray pokemon with four arms and a belt, held off the oncoming Boulder with all their might.

The Pokemon threw their weight against it while their Trainers used their Psynergy to hold it back. It looked like everyone was equally matched, but the Boulder was slowly gaining ground.

"Unh…urggh…we can't hold on!" said one of them. "It's too heavy!"

"If our Psynergy runs out," realized another. "Vale will be destroyed!"

"We just have to hold on until the villagers are safe!" said a third one.

The last stopped using his Psynergy for a moment and looked around. He spotted Isaac and Garet at the base of the mountain.

"Run, boys!" he called. "It's just a little farther!"

Garet nodded.

"We'd better run, Isaac," said Garet. "The Boulder is coming!"

They tore off down the road, only to be blocked again as a huge rock rolled right in front of them.

"Looks like we'll need to find another way," said Isaac.

They took the long way around, passing a house before coming across a man lying still next to a broken gate.

"Rockslide... destroyed fence..." he groaned. "Wild Pokémon everywhere..." Noticing the two boys, he began to wheeze. "I'm hurt pretty badly... Do you think I'll die?" Isaac quickly scanned the man's body from above. "Um, no..." Isaac answered. "You don't seem to be hurt at all!"

"This is awful. I'm left here for the Pokémon to..." The man stopped abruptly as he tried to move his limbs, with surprising success. Getting up, he remarked, "Wait... That's strange. I'm not hurt at all!"

"Geez," thought the two boys.

"But I'm serious about the monsters, so be careful on your way to the plaza!" he warned, before running towards said direction. Isaac and Garet continued to advance until they came across a small blue Pokemon, brandishing a stick.

"Wild Marill," realised Isaac. "Sandshrew! Scratch attack!"

Sandshrew obeyed, swinging its claws.

"You too, Torchic!" said Garet.

Torchic jumped into the air, talons bared. The wild Marill dropped to the ground before it could even land a hit.

"Now we finish you!" said Isaac, swinging a machete and snapping the Water-type's weapon in two. The Marill ran off, leaving some Coins behind. Instantly the two boys and their Pokemon felt a little stronger.

They continued on their way when a Zubat blocked their path. This time Garet took it out with one swing of his handy knife. Further on, they were ambushed by a pair of wild Shroomish.

"I'll handle the one on the left," said Isaac. "You get the other one."

"Got it," said Garet.

"Scratch attack!" they said in unison.

"Shrew!"

"Chic!"

Garet and Torchic took out the first one, but Isaac's attack missed, and the Shroomish came after Sandshrew. "Shroom shroom!" it yelled, launching itself into a Tackle.

"Defense Curl!" ordered Isaac. Sandshrew curled up in a ball, and the Shroomish bounced off the Mouse Pokémon's plated skin.

"Now, uncurl and Scratch!"

Sandshrew came out of its ball and attacked, and this time Isaac's attack was true, knocking out the second Shroomish. They faded away, leaving Coins and experience. Pausing only to grab their spoils, they continued down the path, just in time to hear a terrified scream.

"No! My brother!"

Isaac froze. That had come from Jenna, a friend of theirs. Garet must have heard it too, because he stopped too.

Jenna's older brother Felix was in the middle of a swirling river, holding grimly onto a pole. His parents, as well as Kyle and Dora, were also there.

"Hold on, Felix!" called Kyle.

Felix would've replied, but what words he would've said were swept away by the roar of the rain and river.

"Well, you heard him," said Dora. "Felix will be alright. We just have to…"

She was interrupted by the sound of a loud crack. Felix disappeared. Jenna burst into tears.

"Noooo!" she sobbed. "Felix!"

It was then that Felix's head popped up again. Horatio, Felix's father, tossed a length of rope at him, but it fell miserably short.

"The rope won't reach," said Horatio. "We should try Psynergy or Pokemon. Do you have any?"

Kyle shook his head at his exhausted Pidgeot.

"I'm drained from helping other villagers," he said. "And so's my Pidgeot. How about you?"

"Murkrow's empty," said Horatio, nodding at his Dark Pokemon. "And so am I."

Silence. Then…

"We have to find help," said Dora.

"Can Felix hold on long enough to get help?" asked Eileen, Felix's mother.

"Well, we can't do anything else for him, can we?" said Dora.

Horatio, Eileen, and Kyle looked at each other. There was no other alternative.

"Then go get help, quick as you can!" said Kyle, accepting the only decision.

"Can you go too, Jenna?" asked Eileen.

Jenna nodded and sped after Dora, who had just left. Jenna didn't have Pokemon yet, but Dora pulled out Dugtrio.

"I'll head north," Dora told Jenna. "You head for the plaza."

"Yes, ma'am," said Jenna, still keeping her polite manner despite the urgency of the situation. "We're looking for anyone with Psynergy or Pokemon, right?"

Dora nodded. Jenna took off to the south while Dora headed north, seeing Isaac and Garet on the way.

"Isaac! You saw what happened?" she asked.

"No," said Isaac. "But we sure heard it. What's going on?"

"I'm looking for someone to help Felix. He's fallen into the river."

Isaac and Garet looked at each other. Jenna and Felix were close to them…

"I don't suppose…could the two of you help me?" asked Dora.

"You got it!" said Isaac and Garet together, saluting.

"Good! Jenna's gone to the plaza for help. Go and help her."

They tore off down the road, meeting a wild Zubat and Marill as they crossed the bridge. This time, the battle wasn't as easy, and the boys took a couple of light hits. Still, it wasn't a situation they couldn't handle.

Soon enough, Isaac and Garet found themselves in the plaza, where much of the town had already taken refuge. Near the gates, an elderly man was conversing with two of the village protectors, both with a pair of light purple Pokemon with a similar belt the four people holding off the Boulder were. Jenna was also there. Isaac recognized the old man as the mayor of Vale, who was also Garet's grandpa.

"Go aid the elders!" the old man was telling the other two. "The Boulder is starting get through."

The two looked at each other.

"We can't let the Mt. Aleph Boulder destroy our village," said one. "Let's go help the others!"

"Right," said the other. "Let's go!"

"We're counting on you," said the old man.

Without further ado, the two departed.

"Grandpa! Jenna!" called Garet.

"Isaac, Garet," Jenna noticed them. "You came to help me?"

"Jenna told me about Felix. Is that why you're here?" asked Garet's grandpa.

Isaac nodded.

"Good boys," Garet's grandpa flashed them a smile. "Jenna could use a hand!"

As if on cue, there was a shout from the almost overflowing pond in the center of town.

"Great! We're all charged up!"

It was Conrad, one of Isaac's older friends who had been recently enrolled in the local police force. Next to him was a reptilian creature with a budding flower on its back: an Ivysaur.

"How are you?" asked Garet's grandpa. "Have you restored your Psynergy?"

"Thanks to the Psynergy Stone, we're all set to save Felix," said Condrad.

"Ivy saur!" agreed Ivysaur.

Garet's grandpa nodded his thanks, then turned to Isaac and Garet.

"The path may be blocked by fallen rocks," said Garet's grandpa. "You two can show them the way!"

Isaac nodded.

"Thank you, Isaac," said Jenna. Isaac could see the gratefulness in her eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes.

Isaac and Garet saluted, and then ran off back the way they came, Isaac and Sandshrew in the lead.

"Mom!" called Jenna. "Dad! We're back!"

"Is that you, Jenna?" asked Dora, who had just come back as well. "I couldn't find anyone who could help…how'd you fare?"

Everyone looked at Conrad, who stepped forward.

"You're just in time, Conrad," said Dora.

"Then my brother's still…" Jenna looked at her trapped brother.

"Felix is doing alright," said Dora. "He's hanging in there. Now get down here so we can save him!"

The group nodded and followed Conrad down the stairs.

"Ivysaur," commanded Conrad. "Use…"

CRASH.

"What was that?" asked Isaac.

CRASH.

"Uh oh," said Garet.

That's when the Boulder came, thundering down the hill like a juggernaut. Dora, Isaac, Sandshrew, Garet, Torchic, and Jenna were scrambling to get away. On the dock, Kyle, Horatio, Eileen, and on the ground, Conrad and Ivysaur were paralyzed as the Boulder loomed upon them…

CRUNCH.

The dock had vanished off the face of the earth. Conrad and Ivysaur were paralyzed with shock. So were Dora and Jenna.

"Mom," Jenna looked horrified. "Dad…Felix…please, don't leave me all alone…"

Dora, if such a thing was possible, was even more horrified.

"No…Kyle…it can't be…it all must be a dream…"

Isaac looked around. Sandshrew lay curled up in a ball.

"Sandshrew," he said. "We'd better get moving. The Boulder will probably flood the village if we don't get some help. Let's go."

Sandshrew uncurled and nodded, following Isaac away from the area. Garet and Torchic watched him go.

"Isaac…" said Garet. "Torchic, we can't let him go alone. It's time like these that we men have to stand together!"

"Torchic!" agreed Torchic.

And so, the pair followed them. Isaac had only taken about ten paces into the main village when he heard voices.

"Only the two of us survived…"

He stopped and flattened against the wall. Sandshrew did the same. Meanwhile, at the top of the ridge, a man dressed in blue carrying a long sword was waiting for a woman with blonde hair and a scythe to join him. The man had a Pokémon in the shape of the sun, and the woman had a white, feline Pokémon with a single black horn.

"How could we have anticipated Sol Sanctum would unleash such fury?" asked the woman.

"It's a miracle even the two of us were spared," said the man.

A beat.

"That switch…it must have been a trap."

"But to think it could conjure a spell this powerful!"

"…another demonstration of the powers of Alchemy."

"Regardless, we must not fail the next time we challenge Sol Sanctum."

Here, Isaac and Sandshrew looked at each other. Challenge Sol Sanctum next time?

"Next time, we shall certainly…"

"Isaac, wait!"

Isaac slapped his forehead. Two seconds from learning their plan, and Garet had to come bursting in. On top of that, the people he was listening in on had found him.

"Were you listening on our conversation?" asked the man.

"No," said Isaac innocently.

The pair looked at each other and held a whispered conversation.

"Isaac, they look scary," trembled Garet. "Are you sure you should be talking to them?"

The pair nodded.

"You must forget everything you heard," said the woman.

"Don't worry," said the man. "We'll help you forget!"

The pair leapt down at them.

"Absol, use Slash on the Sandshrew!" ordered the woman.

Absol charged at Sandshrew and clawed at him.

"Defense Curl, Sandshrew!" said Isaac.

Sandshrew had no time. The attack bulled it through the air and into the wall, knocking it out.

"Uh oh," said Isaac.

"Nova!" shouted the woman. Something exploded in a fiery mass, flinging the two boys aside. Garet managed to get up, but Isaac was knocked unconscious by the blow.

"Why, you..." Garet snarled through gritted teeth. "Torchic, use Scratch!"

Torchic scratched the Sun Pokémon, but didn't even leave a mark.

"Ha! You think you can penetrate Solrock's rock hard skin? Solrock, use Psybeam!" ordered the man.

Solrock shot a rainbow-colored beam at Torchic, knocking it into a nearby tree.

"Eruption!" said the man.

The ground crack beneath Garet as a pair of volcanic vents burst forth, blasting him with scorching fire. He was felled instantly.

The pair looked at each other, called back their Pokémon, and left as quickly as they had arrived…

* * *

_Isaac, Garet, Sandshrew, and Torchic were not found by the others until the following morning. Many of the villagers were still alive after that day, but the boulder still took the lives of Isaac's father Kyle, as well as the father, mother, and brother of Jenna: Horatio, Eileen, and Felix. _

_However, our true story begins three years after the incident of the Mt. Aleph Boulder…_


	2. Chapter 1

**Golden Solrock  
Chapter 1  
In Four Elements**

* * *

_Three years after the Mt. Aleph Boulder fell, the townspeople of Vale worked to rebuild their community from scratch. Houses were reconstructed, gates were fixed, and before long Vale had been restored to its original peaceful state that its inhabitants had enjoyed for generations. _

_All of that was to end soon._

* * *

Jenna had grown into a fine young woman of age seventeen after the Mt. Aleph incident, and she seemed no different from the Jenna three years before when her parents and brother were still alive. She was outgoing as ever, often meeting with Isaac and Garet, both of whom had suddenly taken an interest in the art of Psynergy: the ability to control elements with the mind alone. 

In fact, it was precisely Alchemy, the science of the elements, that had brought her to look for her two closest friends. With a small black and yellow mouse Pokémon, she climbed up the steps that had been cut into the cliff to where Isaac and Garet lived. Passing by Isaac's house, Jenna noticed that said teenage boy was occupied, fixing the roof.

"Isaac!" called Dora. "Haven't you finished mending the roof yet?"

"I'm almost done, Mom!" came the reply. On the thatched roof, Isaac and Sandshrew were busily patching up holes.

"Okay! Keep at it!" Leaving them to their own devices, Jenna continued upwards to hear a familiar voice come from behind Garet's house. "Hyaa!"

"Hee hee...Still training, Garet?" Walking behind the cottage, Jenna watched as Garet summoned a palm of energy that pushed the rocky stump in front of him. The stump was as tall as the teenager himself, and Garet was clearly exerting a decent amount of force. Torchic was nearby, using its small body to push the wooden pillar forward. "You sure do put your heart into it, Garet!" remarked Jenna.

"Oh, I'm just finishing up," breathed Garet, wiping the sweat off his brow. Torchic merely sat on the ground, panting.

"That's good. It's time to go, and I was about to leave you behind," Jenna nodded. A moment of uneasy silence followed.

"Say, what exactly happened to you two?" asked Jenna. "The accident three years ago... Is that why you've been studying Psynergy?" Garet swallowed nervously. He had hoped Jenna wouldn't bring that topic up.

"I appreciate your concern but...my family's never coming back, and neither is Isaac's father..." mumbled the girl. "I just want to forget that day. I wish everyone would..." Further silence.

"That awful day...We went to get help, but they found us unconscious..."

"Well, let's get Isaac and go to Kraden's..." Jenna and Garet stopped talking. "What, Garet?"

Garet shook his head violently.

"Huh? You were about to say something, weren't you?" asked Jenna, folding her arms. "Don't be weird, Garet!" Realising she wasn't going to get a peep from her friend, Jenna gave up. "Whatever..."

"Jenna... are you mad at me?" mumbled Garet.

"...I don't want to talk about it," came the reply, leaving Garet most confused. "Come on!" shouted Jenna. "Isaac's waiting for us!"

"But, Jenna..."

"I'll leave you behind if you're too slow," Jenna taunted as started to leave.

"Jenna..." With no other choice, Garet relented. As they walked to Isaac's place, the blonde teenager was picking up loose strands of straw with Psynergy and placing them in the gaps on the roof, while Sandshrew used its claws to push them into place.

"Good job, Isaac. You patched it nicely," nodded Dora, having climbed up to inspect his work. "All right, you're all done."

"Thanks, Mom," grinned Isaac. Sandshrew smiled.

"You're very reliable, Isaac... just like your father was." Dora took a moment to reminisce sadly. "What is it, Isaac? Do you still think about the accident?"

"Hm? Oh, no Mom," Isaac answered quickly. Too quickly.

"I don't believe you. You and Garet have been working yourselves to the bone studying Psynergy," rebuked Dora. "Do you think things would be any different if you'd had stronger abilities?"

"Well... yes," admitted Isaac with a sigh. The truth was, the grim event had affected him as much as it affected his mother, but he didn't want it to show.

"That's what I thought," Dora nodded. "I was devestated when Kyle died. I felt all alone... It's taken some time, but I'm better now." Turning to look at her son, Dora fondly placed a hand on his forehead. "I still have you, Isaac. You're almost seventeen. You're so much like Kyle was when he was young... I'm looking forward to seeing where life takes you."

"MA'AAAAM!!!" The two turned to see Jenna climb up the roof with an exasperated look on her face. "Hello, Jenna," greeted Dora.

"Good morning," Jenna replied politely.

"Yes, yes...Good morning." Seeing another familiar face clamber up, Dora smiled. "Well, if it isn't Garet, too! Where do you all plan to go today?"

"We're going to Mt. Aleph with Kraden," Garet explained.

"Mountain climbing with Kraden, eh?" mused Dora. "Kids and their games..."

"No! It's part of our studies..." Jenna hurriedly followed up.

"Ah, yes... Alchemy," Dora nodded. "Alchemy is the foundation of all Psynergy... And you all know Mt. Aleph is the greatest source of Alchemy. They say Kraden is the best teacher around." The Valean mother took a moment to think things over, walking higher up the roof.

"Alchemy...I wonder what use it all is?" she muttered bitterly, looking at Isaac. "Your mother would rather see you grow up to be a happy, ordinary man. But I suppose you want to go..." Isaac could only nod.

"Well, if that won't persuade you, I guess nothing will!" Dora reprimanded. "You're just as stubborn as your father!" Just then...

"MOM!" yelled Isaac.

"Ah!" shrieked Dora as she tripped backwards.

"Be careful, ma'am!" Garet shouted as he rushed to help.

"Garet, don't!" warned Jenna, but it was too late. Garet landed his foot in one of the newly patched holes and promptly tore another gap in it. To everyone's amazement, Dora's face appeared from the other side of the roof. Kyle's Pidgeot supported her by holding her from her blouse with its talons.

"Oh! That was exciting!" she exclaimed, causing the three teens to sweatdrop. "I'm sorry I scared you like that," apologised Dora. Then she noticed the newly made hole. "Well!"

"I... I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll get out of your way right away!" Quickly, Garet pulled his leg out of the roof and jumped back. "Wait! Not there!" Isaac shouted.

"Huh? What's wrong with..." Before he could say anything more, Garet's weight had tore another hole in the roof, prompting Isaac to drag his palm down his face.

"Oh, never mind..." sighed Dora. "But you'd better get going... This old house will fall apart if you stay much longer. I'll get this fixed up; you don't have to hang around here."

"Thank you, ma'am," nodded Jenna.

"Please, call me Dora."

"We'll get going right away!" agreed Garet.

"Wait, Garet... Just watch your step," cautioned Isaac. Slowly, the trio and Sandshrew clambered down the ladder, joining Garet's Torchic and Jenna's Cyndaquil.

"Let's cross the bridge," suggested Jenna. "It'll be quicker that way."

"Looks like we can't. There's a group of Growlithe playing over there," Isaac pointed. Sure enough, there were three of the Fire-type puppies gambolling and tumbling about playfully. "We should let them be."

"Fair enough. We'll pass by the sanctum," Garet said. "Uh oh..."

"Garet, you make me so mad sometimes!" raged Garet's sister. "Your training stone crushed my flowers!"

"Oh, uh... hey, sis," stammered Garet.

"You're in for it tonight," growled the older sibling. "Just wait and see!"

"We'd better go." Trying their best not to laugh, Isaac and Jenna grabbed Garet and made a run for it.

* * *

As they rounded the bend to Kraden's cottage... 

"They seem to know little of Sol Sanctum's mysteries," a man muttered. Isaac and company promptly stopped in their tracks and waited to listen out for more. "The elders of Vale must not permit anyone to enter it, not even Kraden."

"Kraden... Can we use him?" asked a woman.

"Hmmm... His knowledge is no meager thing. We can use him," the man mused.

"But he's more stubborn than we expected..." pointed out the woman.

"And cunning, too... Cunning beyond measure," the man agreed.

"If he won't go willingly, then we can always... Saturos?" Before the woman could finish speaking, the man had briskly walked past the corner where the three teenagers were standing.

"You there!" he barked. "What are you doing?"

"What are we doing?" repeated Isaac.

"Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?" accused the woman. Isaac shook his head at this. "Hmph! I guess that I should take you at your word..." the woman grumbled.

"Hey, you're the ones who were sneaking around!" retorted Garet.

"Sneaking... Who are you, to accuse me!" growled the man.

"So Kraden's engagement was with you..." the woman murmured.

"Yeah, we're off to meet him right now," Jenna nodded.

"And this appointment is important enough to drive us away?" the man sneered.

"Well, we certainly would appreciate it if you didn't sneak around," Isaac narrowed his eyes.

"Pfeh! If your errand is more important than our own, then... go."

"You're letting us go?" asked Jenna.

"Are you sure, Saturos?" questioned the woman.

"Menardi, we have no reason to delay these children any further," replied Saturos.

"Let's... Let's go, guys." Before the two strangers could change their mind, Isaac quickly dragged his two friends up the steps to Kraden's house. Outside his house, the elderly scholar was clearly troubled...

"Just who were they? They already know too much about Sol Sanctum... things that even the elders of Vale don't know," Kraden was muttering as he paced back and forth. "And what were they saying about the elements? The elements of Alchemy: earth, water, fire, and wind... They plan to set them into motion?... And the four Elemental Stars are the key?... These are things even I, a trained Alchemy sage, do not know..."

"Kraden!" called Isaac.

"Oh! Isaac..." Kraden nodded as he acknowledged the presence of Isaac and company.

"You look like something's bothering you," noted Jenna.

"It's those two, isn't it? Saturos and Menardi were their names, right?" Garet frowned.

"Are they still out there? They're very persistent..." Kraden remarked worriedly.

"Did they want something from you, Kraden?" asked Isaac.

"That seems to be the case," nodded Kraden. "Mt. Aleph and Sol Sanctum... They spoke as if they'd seen them with their own eyes. Isn't that strange?"

"I'd say so," agreed Isaac, after some thought. "It's not possible to enter Mt. Aleph without a good reason. Only the priests are allowed to enter the sanctum."

"And if they entered secretly, then they might be thieves!" Jenna realised.

"We have to go and tell the high elders and the villagers!" urged Garet.

"Wait, everyone!" Kraden halted. "I still don't know how accurate the things they said were... We can do nothing until we confirm what they told me."

"Then what should we do?" asked Jenna.

"Well, we go confirm it," answered Kraden simply.

"...Do you mean we should go into Sol Sanctum ourselves?" Garet asked. "Isn't that impossible?"

"Why would it be?" Kraden asked. "Just because climbing Mt. Aleph is forbidden?" This remark took some time for the teens to mull over.

"If we're just going to see if they've been to Mt. Aleph, I guess I don't see why it would," Isaac nodded. "We should be fine as long as they don't see us."

"Right. We won't be doing anything bad up there," agreed Garet.

"This will just be our secret, OK?" Jenna asked. This was met with nods from the others.

"Then it's decided!" smiled Kraden. "We'll make you the leader, OK, Isaac?"

"It shouldn't be anything I can't handle. I don't see why not," nodded the blonde.

"You're more cautious than Garet is, Isaac, so you'll be fine!" grinned Jenna.

"You don't have to be so blunt..." grumbled the redhead.

"...Oh, wait a minute." Turning to go into his house, Kraden disappeared for a brief moment, before reappearing with a quad of shiny sacks. "This is our best bet," he nodded, motioning to the glittering cloths. "Alright! Let's go!"

* * *

"I think the coast is clear," whispered Isaac as the four of them crept past the sanctum. 

"Who goes there?" thundered a voice. A priest appeared from behind a tree, accompanied by a black-furred quadruped with fiercely glowing eyes. "Luxray..." it growled.

"Run for it!" Isaac yelled, as the Glowing Eyes Pokémon promptly chased them in front of the temple.

"You're not planning on sneaking up to Mt. Aleph, are you?" questioned the healer, to the vigorous shaking of heads from Isaac's party. "Well, I'll overlook it this time... But I've got my eyes on you, Isaac," he warned.

"We'll have to think of something," Kraden noted. "Luxray is known for its ability to look through solid rock. It won't be easy to sneak past one."

"I'll create a diversion," Isaac asserted. "Go, Sandshrew! Rollout!"

"Shrew!" Curling into a ball, the Ground-type Mouse rolled to the right, beaning the Luxray on the head.

"Lux!" snarled the fully-fledged Electric, who started bounding after its assailant. Sandshrew merely ricocheted around like a ball of rock, such that neither Luxray nor the healer could tell what it was or where it would land.

"Now's our chance! Hurry!" Beckoning to the others, Isaac crept past the tree leading to the stairway in front of Sol Sanctum. Meanwhile, Luxray was still being tormented by Isaac's Sandshrew...

"Luxray! Use Roar!" commanded the healer. Luxray let out a terrifying howl that sent Sandshrew tunneling into the ground. "I wonder what that was," he muttered. Meanwhile...

"Good job, Sandshrew," praised Isaac as the Mouse Pokémon reappeared from the dirt beside him. "Let's go!"

* * *

As they walked up the thin mountain pass, the gate leading into Sol Sanctum came into view, with four priestly statues guarding the gleaming marble staircases. With a resounding creak and rumble, the doors opened. 

"This is the entrance to Sol Sanctum," Kraden marvelled. "This is your first time here, right?" The trio nodded.

"It's an important relic of our past. Take a good look at it." With that, Kraden led the others into the next room. "Oh!"

"Stepping stones on water," Isaac observed. "They seem safe to stand on, but we'll have to jump to get across them. We'll have to watch our step," he warned. Returning their Pokémon to their Pokéballs, Isaac led the way across the water, with Garet and Jenna following, and Kraden last in tow. Sooner than they expected, they were on the other side.

Walking through the door, the team found themselves in a long passageway. Zubat flitted from the ceiling to attack them.

"Torchic! Cyndaquil! Use Ember attack!" yelled Garet and Jenna. Flames began to dance across their fingertips. "Flare!" they shouted.

"Torchi! Quiiil!" The fires from both Adepts and Pokémon joined to form dancing scorchers that easily incinerated the opposition. Rounding a left and a right turn, Isaac's group found themselves in another stone-stepping room.

"Three passageways?" frowned Isaac. "Which one should we take?"

"Ah, to heck with this," Garet smirked, leaping onto a stone. "We'll know which to take once we get over to the other side!"

"Garet, wait!" called Kraden, but Garet was already halfway across. The others could do nothing but follow suit. The left passageway, however, proved to be a dead end, so they had to backtrack and take the middle route instead. They found a treasure chest at the end of that one instead.

"A small jewel?" Jenna raised the gleaming gem for a closer look. "I wonder why this was left here?"

"No idea. Let's check the last passage," Isaac suggested. But the last option seem to prove futile as well.

"The relief of a minotauros. That's it?" Garet sniffed. "That's all there is?"

"Wait, Garet," frowned Isaac. "The right eye is sparkling, but... there's a hole where the left eye should be. Maybe..." Raising the small jewel, Isaac set the gem into the empty socket. It was a perfect match.

_RUMBLE..._ An ominous shaking seemed to fill the entire sanctum, surprising the foursome.

"What was that?" trembled Jenna once the shaking sensations had passed.

"I was trying to tell you," said Kraden. "The passage to the next room was sealed by this carving. The jewel was the key to opening it." Sure enough, when the team backtracked even further, they found that a door had miraculously opened at the end of the left corridor. "We'll have to look out for similar traps," nodded Isaac.

The party of four went through the doorway into a room filled with statues of armoured knights holding swords. Kraden took a good long look around, his brow creasing from deep thought.

"What's wrong, Kraden?" asked Garet.

"Hmm... Those two said there was a hidden passage leading deeper into the sanctum," Kraden muttered. I've come here many times, and I've always thought it looked... strange. I had always imagined Sol Sanctum would look different, somehow."

"What do you mean?" Jenna asked.

"Sol Sanctum was built in honor of the sun, so there ought to be something here to reflect that. I was always puzzled why there wasn't. If there is a hidden passage, then maybe it leads to..." For a moment Kraden was lost in deeper thought. "Well! Let's see if we can find it!"

"But it's too dangerous for us to split up. We should stay together," advised Isaac. The team proceeded to inspect every nook and cranny of the room.

"There's something strange about this statue," Garet observed. "Hey, Isaac! Give me a boost!"

The two boys heaved with all their might, pushing the statue to the side to reveal a hidden doorway, which the team promptly went through to a maze of corridors filled with wild Grimer, Marill, Shroomish and Zubat.

"This is a lot harder than I thought," grimaced Garet as he ruefully massaged his sword arm. "There's more creatures in this place than expected."

"Let me have a look at that." Pulling up Garet's sleeve, Isaac inspected the bruises on his friend's skin. "Cure!" Earth Psynergy flew from Isaac's palm to Garet's wounds, healing them instantly. "That should do it."

"Guys! I found another of those small jewels!" called Jenna. She held a glinting gem in her hand.

"There's probably another minotauros lock up ahead," nodded Isaac. "Let's go for it!"

In the next room, a row of knight statues solemnly greeted the foursome. Kraden looked across the canal of water. "More statues," he muttered. "Hmmm... It doesn't look like we can reach them from here. Perhaps Psynergy is the key... Isaac, try to use your Psynergy."

"We're on it! Move!" With palms outstretched, Isaac and Garet stood as close to the statues as the jutting platforms allowed them, shifting the statues left and right with hands of projected Psynergy. Soon...

"Another minotauros... just as expected." Fitting the jewel into the empty socket, Isaac felt the earth move as another passageway revealed itself, along with another small series of corridors. At the very end of it all, the foursome found a room with four angel statues, surrounding the gleaming picture of a Solrock in the very middle.

"This is it! We've found it!" exclaimed Kraden, as he dashed to inspect the symbol on the ground. "Clearly, this is the mark of the sun... the heart of Sol Sanctum. It's just as I'd imagined... which means those two were telling the truth!"

"But if what they said was true," frowned Isaac, "Then that means they must have been...

"They were thieves! They came to rob the sanctum!" Garet realised.

"Let's hurry back to the village and tell everybody!" nodded Jenna. The three teenagers prepared to leave when they realised that Kraden hadn't moved a muscle.

"Kraden? What's the matter?" Isaac asked.

"We've come all the way to the heart of Sol Sanctum," murmured the scholar. "To turn our backs on it and leave..."

"There's something wrong with that?" Garet rolled his eyes.

"Sol Sanctum holds the origins of Alchemy," Kraden explained. "It would be a waste to... What do you think? Shall we go a little farther?" he suggested.

"Kraden, maybe we shouldn't," voiced Isaac. "I don't have a good feeling about this... Who knows what's going to happen?"

"What?!" snapped Kraden. "Then you can all go back to the village without me."

"If you put it that way, we don't have much choice," Jenna sweatdropped.

"I'm with Kraden. I want to look inside..." said Garet.

"Really? We'll just go a little bit further!" Kraden cheered to nods from the others. "Good! It's decided. Let's move ahead!"

The team moved into the next room, which was nearly identical to the earlier one, except that it had a picture of a Lunatone on the ground instead. A strange, ethereal light hovered above it, accompanied with a series of star-like glittering.

"Wh-what is this room?" Kraden looked more closely at the chamber's features. "There's a Lunatone in the center... A picture of Luna. This must symbolize night... These rooms must be connected somehow, don't you think?"

"I'd suppose. It can't be mere coincidence for Sol and Luna to appear next to each other," agreed Isaac.

"But what does it all mean?... Isaac, would you look farther up the passage?" asked Kraden.

"Alright," nodded the Earth Adept. "I'll let you know what I find."

* * *

Further up the passage, the three young Adepts found a staircase leading to a huge room. "Fresh air? Clouds?" mused Garet. "We must be higher up than we thought..." 

"But that's impossible! How can there be clouds? We're still inside the Sanctum, aren't we?" wondered Jenna.

"Hmmmm. More statues, but holding giant mirrors... and symbols that coincide with the symbols below," muttered Isaac as he studied the area. Walking into the next room, the group noticed that another statue holding a disc stood beyond the symbol for Sol.

"I think these two upper statues can be moved," Isaac concluded after some thought. "Come on, guys!"

With the help of his friends and their Pokémon, Isaac managed to shift one of the statues in place. Just then, the mirror held by the statue caught a stray beam of light, casting it onto the floor in front of the disc-holding statue. The same happened when they shifted the statue on the opposite side, but to their surprise a huge hole appeared where the two reflected beams of light coincided.

"What the?" Garet exclaimed. "How did a hole get down here?"

"Maybe... Isaac, try shifting that statue ahead," suggested Jenna.

"Alright," nodded Isaac. "Move!" he shouted, pulling the statue towards him. It was a lot heavier than the earlier statues, and it took a lot more out of the blonde, but he managed to do it. Without warning, the angel model fell into the mysterious hole, causing a huge series of rumbling followed by a clicking sound.

"What was that all about?" Jenna wondered.

"I don't know. Maybe we should check the other room," Isaac suggested. "Hmmm... Perhaps we could push these statues as well," he pointed out. "Move!"

With the statue shifted into place, another beam of light was reflected onto the symbol of Luna on the ground...

* * *

Kraden was looking around the Luna room, when suddenly, the rumblings of thunder seemed to fill the chamber. A golden light briefly appeared against the azure aura. 

"Wha-What's... What's happening?" trembled Kraden. Even as he looked at the ground, one of the tiles of the Luna symbol began to flash, changing into one of Sol's.

"Isaac must have found something!" Quickly, Kraden ran up to the floor above. "You found it, Isaac!" he cheered. "Excellent work!"

"Kraden!" exclaimed Isaac. "What do you mean?"

"In a moment." Kraden examined the two new rooms. "Where did that hole come from?"

"When we moved those statues, two beams of light shot out from them... and then this hole appeared in the floor," explained Garet.

"And Isaac dropped the statue into it after that," added Jenna.

"Hmm... Good work, everyone!" Kraden said after some further study. "So... the statue puzzle was the trap. And that other statue was here to... disarm the trap. And now that you've disarmed it, we should be all right..."

"Trap? What trap?" asked Isaac. "But why would anyone put a trap here, anyway?"

"I don't know who did it... but must've hidden something very important. Perhaps... they've hidden the key to Alchemy itself," murmured Kraden. "I'll observe from the Luna room, where it's safe. You handle the rest!"

After Kraden left, the teens worked to push the other three statues into place, before going downstairs to look for Kraden.

"Look, Isaac! The picture of Luna changed to Sol!" pointed Kraden. Sure enough, the 'Luna' room now took on the features of the Sol room earlier. "But other than that, nothing looks different..." frowned the scholar. "That's strange... They went to the trouble of putting a trap here... And this is all that happens? Hm... Somewhere, something else must have changed," he remarked. "We must find it."

They walked back into the 'Sol' room.

"Look! The symbol on the floor! It changed from Sol to Luna!" Kraden observed. "Surely... there must be something in this room."

"Wait a minute." Isaac frowned. Unlike the Luna room earlier, there was no aura or glittering, except for a beam of light that extended from the centre of the floor to a point on the wall. "What's this?" As he raised his finger to touch the beam on the bricks, the light disappeared into the wall, opening to form a portal.

"Ah ha! This has to be it," nodded Kraden. "Let's go, Isaac!"

"Alright." As Isaac walked towards the portal, a mystic light surrounded him, lifting him up into the portal where he phased through the stone.

"Wait for us, Isaac!" Kraden voice called out behind him. "We're on our way!"

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity, Isaac flew through a world seemingly populated by nothing but endless light. However, his journey was abruptly stopped as another portal came into view, gently placing him down just outside of a huge gate, accompanied by Jenna and Garet. "Whoa," breathed Isaac. "There's something you don't do everyday." 

"Look!" exclaimed Jenna. As they gazed around, the three teens found that they were standing on an islet of sorts, linked by a matrix of rock pillars above a pond of clear, sparkling water. Wordlessly, Isaac's group took the scenery in, then looked back at each other. None of them had any idea to their location.

"Wha... Where are we?" Looking to the shining portal, Kraden's voice wafted through, soon followed by his body. Once he had a quick look, Kraden was most astounded.

"Is that... the ocean?" Peering down at the still water, Kraden shook his head. "No, it couldn't be... The ocean has waves."

"The ocean? What's that?" asked Garet.

"The ocean is a thing of endless water at the end of the world," explained the scholar, to the confused expressions of the young trio. "You would not understand... Someday, I'll show it to you myself." Just then, several glinting objects from afar caught his attention. As Kraden squinted, he could make out four human-sized statues holding glittering objects in their hands. Realisation hit Kraden as he understood what he saw.

"The Elemental Stars..." he breathed softly. "They really exist... The Elemental Stars exist!"

"The Elemental Stars?" Isaac repeated. "What're those?"

"You taught us about the Elements... the foundation of all matter," recalled Jenna. "Are they linked?"

"Stones, wood, even us... All things are made from those four elements," added Garet.

"Exactly," nodded Kraden. "As I have told you many times, the elements are the source of all matter. Earth, water, fire, and wind: these are the four elements. Legend holds that the four Elemental Stars contain the purified essence of each element... And now, those legendary stones are before us!" he declared with a flourish, like a performing dancer.

"The Venus Star... the elemental stone of earth!" he pointed to the southeast.

"Mercury Star, possessing the power of water's many forms!" he beckoned at the northeast.

"There is the Mars Star, glowing red with the fire contained within!" he directed towards the northwest.

"And Jupiter Star, bound with the wind's fury!" he finished with the southwest. The teenagers stared as Kraden happily pranced about, giddy as a schoolgirl.

"Kraden... Why are you getting so excited?" Jenna asked.

"How can you be so calm in the face of such wonders?" Kraden exclaimed. "You're looking at the very source of all Alchemy! ...Haven't I told you all this before?"

"I certainly don't remember," confessed Isaac.

"The Wisdom Stone... the Stone of Sages. This stone dominates everything... It can transmute crude matter into gold, even thwart death itself!... The study of Alchemy began with the search for this very stone. Alchemy exists because of the Elemental Stars," explained Kraden.

"I don't really get how it works, but they have enormous power, right?" frowned Jenna.

"Beyond enormous... With a single gem, one could conquer the world!" Kraden grinned. "Now, perhaps, you begin to understand."

"Don't scare us like that, Kraden. I totally thought you were serious," laughed Garet nervously. "Heh... Conquering the world..."

"Who can say what the truth is?" The scholar muttered as he gazed into the inky darkness. "That's why I've been searching for the Elemental Stars. I seek to learn the truth about these stones. And now, they lie before me..." Before anyone could stop him, Kraden had leapt onto the nearest pillar. Just as he was about to jump to the next one, he suddenly noticed how smooth the rock surface was.

"Whoa..." Steadying himself, Kraden instinctively jumped back to the main rock. "Be careful, Kraden! It looks slippery," warned Jenna.

"But I must examine the Elemental Stars..." protested Kraden.

"Make the boys do it!" Jenna suggested brightly. "WHAT!" cried said teens.

"Oh, I couldn't ask... Would you mind?" Kraden asked.

"...Ah, fine," relented Isaac. "You'd better not be expecting any thanks from us, Jenna!"

"Thank you, boys. You'll need these..." So saying, Kraden produced the bags he had brought from his cottage.

"What are those?" asked Garet.

"They're made of woven threads of Mythril. I prepared them for just such an occasion," explained Kraden. "Now, go fetch the Elemental Stars and put them in those bags."

"Alright." It took some time for the two boys to navigate their way through the stepping labyrinth, but after a few backtracks they managed to make their way southeastwards. "Here goes nothing," muttered Isaac as he reached for the legendary stone. Just as it came off in his hand, the room began to exhibit brief flashes of yellow. Without warning stone pillars began to erupt from the waters, filling in gaps between the existing steps, and as abruptly as it had begun, everything stood still, allowing Isaac to place the Venus Star in a bag.

"Good, good! Now go fetch the others!" called Kraden. Isaac and Garet proceeded to retrieve the other remaining Stars, opening new ways across the stones as they did so in bursts of Psynergetic light. Just as Isaac dropped the Jupiter Star in a bag, a niggle started to grow at the back of his head.

"...Hey, Garet?" he asked uneasily. "Kraden sounds a little _too_ quiet, don't you think?"

"I agree," nodded Garet. "Let's go check on...!" The boys turned to see two familiar, unfriendly characters standing next to their travelling companions.

"It looks like they've spotted us," frowned Saturos. "I thought we'd be safe until they'd gotten all the Elemental Stars," agreed Menardi.

"You! You mean to steal the Elemental Stars!" accused Kraden.

"Master Kraden... Are you calling us thieves?" Saturos sneered.

"As I recall, aren't you the one who stole our information?" Menardi retorted.

"What will you do with us once you've got the Elemental Stars?" trembled Jenna.

"I'm sure they'll do us in once they no longer need us!" Kraden cried.

"Relax... You will not be hurt," a voice declared. From the portal appeared a young man wearing a green mask against his face, framed with brown hair. He was accompanied by a brown biped mammal wearing a skull with a femur in its paw. "That was our agreement, was it not?"

"That all depends on how well they cooperate," sniffed Saturos.

"They'll be safe, as long as they hand over the Elemental Stars," asserted Menardi. "Isn't that enough?" Everyone turned to Isaac and Garet.

"You heard us... If you wish to save your friends, then give us the Elemental Stars!" threatened Saturos.

"...Hey, wait a minute!" snapped Isaac. "What guarantee do we have once we've given you the Elemental Stars?"

"He's right!" shouted Garet.

"Guarantee... Ah, I have one." Grinning nastily, she turned to the new stranger. "You will have to remove your mask."

"What!" This condition had some effect on said person. "Th... That means..."

"Ah, of course," Saturos smiled an equally nasty smile. "A fine idea... He will be our guarantee."

"B... But..."

"Under the circumstances, we have little choice," declared Saturos. "Felix! Remove your mask!"

"Felix?" repeated Jenna.

"What? What did he say?" Garet gasped. "He called that guy Felix... That's what he said, isn't it?"

"But... that can't be!" Isaac frowned. "That day... The Boulder... We saw him die, didn't we? We couldn't find him even after weeks of searching... Then what kind of guarantee are they giving us?"

"What's wrong, Felix... Don't you want them to feel safe?" taunted Menardi.

"Felix... Wasn't that the name of your brother?" questioned Kraden.

"But... That accident..." protested Jenna. "My brother, he..."

"I'll do it. I'll... take off my mask." Turning away from the crowd, the stranger ripped off the paper covering his face. Jaws hit the floor as he turned back around.

"It's not possible..." Jenna whispered, on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "Is he..." Kraden began.

"I know I've caused you much grief, Jenna," apologised Felix. "It was a miracle that I survived that day... Saturos and Menardi were the ones who saved me. I've been with them ever since... I've experienced a lot."

"But why?" screamed Jenna. "Why did you leave me all alone? My own brother... I thought you were dead!"

"Jenna..."

"Save this teary reunion for later," snapped Saturos.

"That's right. The Elemental Stars come first," agreed Menardi.

"Now do you see? Felix would never allow us to harm you... or his sister," Saturos explained. Kraden had nothing to reply with.

"Felix will be our guarantee," Menardi nodded. "Now, give us the Elemental Stars!"

"...Alright," grimaced Isaac. "We don't have any choice, do we?"

"I guess I should take the Elemental Stars to them," agreed Garet. Isaac handed over the Elemental Stars to Garet, who began to make his way back to the centre of the room. Suddenly, another stranger magically appeared on the rock he stood on. "Will you permit me to relieve you of those Elemental Stars?" he asked.

"Oh, Alex... You're late!" called Saturos. "Alex is another of our companions. Hand the stones to him."

"Oh, great. After we did all that work..." Garet grumbled as he gave Alex the three Mythril bags. "I'm afraid I must apologize in advance..." smiled Alex. "For you will be bringing us the remaining Elemental Stars, as well."

"...Hey, wait a second!" shouted Garet as Alex began to float up towards the main crew. "You want us to grab the other one for you, too?"

"Oh, did you not understand me?" Alex leered.

"You said you'd set Jenna free once we gave you the Elemental Stars!" yelled the redhead. "You promised!"

"No, my friend... We want you to bring us ALL the Elemental Stars!" cackled Saturos.

"Stop grumbling and bring us the last Star!" snapped Menardi.

"...Bah! Fine!" relented Garet, leaving Alex to levitate back to Felix's crew. Silently, Isaac and Garet made their way across the room, to the fourth and final statue. As Isaac placed the Mars Star in the last bag...

**Rumble... _CRASH._** Everyone looked around in shock as shattering noises began to fill the room. Suddenly, a burst of Psynergy leapt from the statue that held the Mars Star. Huge cracks appeared in the walls and floor, allowing the water to seep away and revealing lava from beneath, frothing with embers.

"What's the matter? What happened?" shouted Menardi.

"No! Not again!" cursed Saturos.

"The water's gone!" exclaimed Jenna.

"Without the energy of the Elemental Stars, the chamber is collapsing!" realised Alex.

"Mt. Aleph was said to house great power... Is this the "terrible retribution" the villagers spoke of?" wondered Kraden. "No, this must be more of Alchemy's power!" Dust and pebbles fell from the roof, littering over everyone. Then, all of a sudden, the tremors ceased.

"Whew! It's over," Menardi breathed. "But what was it?"

"What is that?!?" Jenna screamed.

"No!" Saturos yelled. Everyone turned to see a huge rock with an eye hovering over the centre of the room.

"That rock... It's floating... Do you know what it is, Isaac?" asked Garet.

"No... Is it being suspended by Psynergy?" frowned Isaac.

"Could that be... the Wise One?!?" exclaimed Kraden.

"Such power... Incredible!" marvelled Alex. Everyone watched in awe as the strange rock's powerful gaze flew here and there, seemingly halting the volcanic activity with each glare. Blasts of Psynergy reverberated around the cavern as it continued to crumble, and shattered into innumerable fragments as they neared the stone called the Wise One.

"It must be the guardian of the Elemental Stars!" Saturos realised.

"This doesn't look good... Maybe we should just escape while we can," urged Felix.

"But we need the Mars Star. We can't leave it behind!" protested Menardi.

"I agree with Felix. We're no match for the guardian," said Alex grimly.

"The Mars Star will have to wait for another day," agreed Saturos.

"What about Isaac and Garet?" protested Jenna. "You can't just leave them here!"

"Forget about them. They won't make it out alive," Saturos sneered.

"But, Saturos, there's still a chance they might survive," Menardi pointed out.

"Anything is possible... So what do you suggest we do?" The two villains turned to Alex for his opinion.

"We take this 'Jenna' with us... If they survive, they will want her back. And if they want her back, they will bring us the Star," Alex grinned after some thought. "Regardless, Kraden must come with us. He is connected to all of this."

"Alex... Are you breaking our promise?" Felix frowned. "Conditions have changed since we made that promise," came the calm reply.

"Jenna's not any part of this," growled Felix. "I won't let you hurt her!"

"Do what you will with me. Just let Jenna go!" pleaded Kraden.

"Your bravery speaks well of you, old man, but you cannot help Jenna now," leered Saturos.

"If we leave Jenna, she will surely die. Is that what you want, Felix?" Menardi folded her arms disapprovingly.

"Perhaps we ought to continue this elsewhere, Felix," Alex coaxed.

"Felix..." Jenna whimpered.

"Please... can we go now?" asked Alex.

"Alright. Let's make haste!" barked Menardi, nudging Jenna from the back.

"Hey, don't push my sister!" Felix growled.

"Who do you think you're talking to? You owe us your life!" the older woman retorted.

"Menardi!" Saturos glared, then turned to the elderly scholar. "Master Kraden, you will be joining us, of course!"

Isaac and Garet could do nothing as one by one, the forced group of six began to depart through the portal.

"Isaac, Garet! Don't die!" screamed Jenna as she disappeared.

"The Mars Star..." Alex looked back for a brief moment. "It's a pity that we have to leave it, but perhaps we'll be seeing it soon..." With that, Alex jumped through the gate, leaving the two boys behind.

"...Well, this turned out badly," remarked Garet. "You don't think they'll hurt Jenna and Kraden, do you?"

"...If Felix is with them, I think they should be safe. But we've got a long way to go if we're going to..." Before Isaac could finish, the stepping stone pillar in front of them shattered into slabs and fragments. They were stranded in the middle of a crumbling room in a volcano. "Oh, darn..."

"We're in big trouble..." Panicking, Garet tried to look for an alternative route, then noticed Isaac wasn't following.

"Hey, Isaac... Isaac, I'm over here. Come on, we've gotta go," Garet urged. For a few moments, Isaac said nothing, then managed to utter, "Be... Behind you."

"Yipe!" Garet yelped as he caught sight of the Wise One gazing at them with its huge eyeball.

"...Why are you standing there?" The Wise One softly boomed. "This place has become dangerous..."

"You're the dangerous one!" retorted Garet, trying to sound tougher than he felt. A surge in the ground quickly made him regret that remark. "Eeeep..."

"The lava! It's rising!" exclaimed Isaac. The room now exuded a soft warm glow.

"Hnnnngh..." Rippling with Psynergy, the Wise One began to concentrate. Soon enough, the shaking and crackling ceased.

"The volcano will soon erupt... I cannot hold it long. You must leave this place." As he spoke, a series of sparkling lights began to float around the statue that held the Mars Star, before shooting upwards into the sky.

"The Elemental Djinn... they have returned..." Turning to Isaac, the Wise One instructed, "Take out the Elemental Star..."

"Yes." Raising the star in the air, Isaac allowed the guardian to work its Psynergy on the stone.

"Return it to its bag." As he replaced the Star, Isaac noticed that the other statues had taken on similar glowing lights, which flew upwards as well.

"The Elemental Stars are... moving away from here..." hummed the Wise One. "Without the power of the Elemental Stars to contain it, the magma flows freely once again, and this chamber is collapsing. There will be no chamber for the Elemental Stars to return to... The world will be exposed to the threat of Alchemy."

"Alchemy?" repeated Isaac. "A threat?" Garet parroted.

"It can be a dangerous power if it is misused. If the Elemental Stars ignite the flames of the four lighthouses, that power will be released," the Wise One warned. "As long as the four lighthouses remain unlit...!"

"Ah!" The boys yelped as the ground heaved beneath them.

"Hnnnnnngh!" Floating above the cracks, the guardian focused all his Psynergetic might on the volcano. For a moment, everything seemed calm until the Wise One broke his concentration. Immediately, it applied every drop of its power, but it was to no avail. Lava poured forth and huge rocks began to fall from the ceiling.

"The volcano... It's erupting... Flee, now!" the Wise One shouted.

"But how?" yelled Isaac. "There's no way out!"

"Ah. I see. I will help you..." So saying, the Wise One started to brim with Psynergy once more. As they looked down, the boys discovered that the same glow had enveloped their bodies, and before they knew what was going on, everything went white. When they could open their eyes...

"Hey, we're back in the Sol... er, Luna room!" Isaac realised. "...The portal's gone!"

"Did... Did that floating eye thing save us?" asked Garet.

"I... guess..." Quakes rumbled throughout the chamber. Clearly the temple was not to be spared.

"Let's get out of here!" Garet yelled. Rocks of various sizes fell all around them.

"Wait, I've got another idea." Isaac grabbed his friend by the arm. "I hope this works... _Retreat!_"

Rings of Psynergy circled the two boys as Isaac's Earth Psynergy worked its powers. In an instant the spell converted the pair into glowing orbs of Psynergy that dissipated into the air, congregating at the sanctum entrance.

"Now let's go!" shouted Isaac as they pushed past the huge marble doors to the world outside...

* * *

At the foot of Mt. Aleph, a group of people huddled worriedly outside the Valean temple. Flashes of red coloured the sky as the fiery mountain let fly eruption after eruption. 

"I thought Mt. Aleph was inactive," sighed the Great Healer.

"Ooo, my grandson! Will Garet be safe in this eruption?" simpered the mayor.

"Grandpa, we don't even know if he's up there!" yelled Garet's sister.

"But, Sis, someone saw him and his friends climbing Mt. Aleph," interjected her younger sibling.

"They were hanging around here while Luxray and I were on guard duty," nodded a healer grimly.

"But... Isaac and Garet went to Mr. Kraden's house," frowned Dora.

"Didn't they say they were studying Alchemy?" the mayor questioned.

"Yes, they did..." Dora replied. "But... what does that have to do with the eruption?"

Nearby, Isaac and Garet noticed the welcoming committee.

"Uh-oh. It's Grandpa and the others," groaned Garet. "What should we do, Isaac? Should we go back up?"

"I..." Isaac had no answer in reply. If they went back to Sol Sanctum, they would be toast. And if they went down to meet everyone, they would be in hot water.

"Garet! Isaac!" It was too late to make a decision. They had been seen.

"You're safe!" breathed the Great Healer.

"Come here, both of you!" Meekly the two boys walked over to meet the villagers, who immediately began to shower them with questions. "Where have you been? What happened? Weren't Jenna and Kraden with you?"

"Men!... Taken away... Sanctum... Elemental..." Isaac and Garet attempted to answer the storm of queries all at once, to much confusion.

"This is all very complicated... We'll need you to tell us exactly what happened on the mountain," the Great Healer nodded grimly. "Come into the sanctum, both of you."

* * *

Inside the sanctum, the two boys relayed the series of events to the healers, the mayor and Dora. It took several minutes, the occasional gasp of surprise, eyes that grew several times larger and a glimpse of the Mars Star in a re-enactment of the tragedy. 

"We had no idea... The true sanctum..." The mayor could only stutter to break the silence.

"And Jenna and Kraden... They're prisoners?" asked Dora. Isaac nodded solemnly.

"We must do everything we can to save them," said the healer with the Luxray. "And place our hopes in Felix."

"What is it, Great Healer? You have been very quiet," frowned the mayor.

"It's like you're a thousand miles away," Dora added.

"...That hovering stone, the one that appeared before Isaac." The Great Healer spoke, "I have seen it before in my dreams. In my mind's eye, it appeared again just now and spoke to me."

"You saw it just now?" exclaimed Garet.

"It must be the Wise One, guardian of the Elemental Stars," nodded the priest. "It told me what happened to you in Sol Sanctum."

"So, what does the Wise One say about the eruption?" asked the mayor. "Will the volcano destroy Vale?"

Blips of Psynergy flittered around the Great Healer. "It is impossible to stop the eruption now," he stated.

"Will Vale be..."

"Vale will be safe. The Wise One will prevent the lava from reaching us," assured the healer. More Psynergy gathered around him, prompting the Great Healer to frown.

"What's the matter, Great Healer?" "...The village will be destroyed, won't it?"

"...Something even more dreadful that Vale's destruction looms ahead," warned the Great Healer.

"What could be worse than the destruction of Vale?" asked Isaac desperately.

"A terrible power. The Elemental Star gems house the incredible power of Alchemy," the Great Healer explained. "Vale has been guarding those gems. The elemental lighthouses will loose that power upon the world. Once the power of the gems has been released, the whole world will..." The Great Healer said nothing. The others knew what his message meant.

"The Wise One wants us to get the gems back, doesn't he?" Dora whispered.

"The world is ours, to save or to destroy. Our inaction may bring about its destruction," said the Great Healer. "We cannot hope for salvation. We must save ourselves."

"Then... what can we do?"

"...Acquiring the Elemental Stars is their fate alone," pointed the Great Healer, standing in front of the boys. Isaac nearly fainted from shock.

"Are you suggesting we place the fate of the world... in the hands of Isaac and Garet?" asked Dora. She couldn't believe her ears either.

"Garet is only a child. You can't expect him to bear such a burden..." protested the mayor.

"The Wise One has spoken. Each of you shares responsibility for this," the Great Healer said firmly. "Now, each of you must make your own decision!"

"...I don't know what to do," Garet spoke up. "Isaac, you decide."

"Isaac, will you accept responsibility for the fate of the land?" asked the Great Healer. All eyes were upon the blonde teen as he thought the grim matter over.

"I... I... accept." Isaac finally looked up with determination in his eyes. "I accept responsibility for the fate of the land."

"You accept?" gasped Garet. "Oh, Isaac... You can't mean it..."

"You chose to leave your decision to Isaac," barked the mayor. "There shall be no further discussion."

"...O, Wise One, these two have accepted your quest," bowed the Great Healer towards the altar. "Give us your next command!"

Instantly, to everyone's surprise, a white light filled the room. The image of the Wise One hovered above the altar as his voice entered the minds of all present.

"You two are quite brave to take on this quest," mused the guardian, perhaps with a hint of well-meaning chuckle in his voice. "I shall be watching you. .. Choose your destiny wisely, young ones." With that, the image disappeared.

"...That was the Wise One," Dora mumbled when the light had faded.

"What did the Wise One say?" asked the mayor.

"Felix must unlock the power," stated the Great Healer. "Find the lighthouses... You'll have the guidance of the Elemental Star."

"...Um, then what?" Isaac asked. "What do we do there?"

"Surely, that cannot be all the advice you can offer them, Great Healer..." the mayor pleaded.

"Seek the elementals... the Djinn..." the Great Healer added. "They will prove useful."

"Isn't there anything else?" asked Garet.

"...That is all," finished the priest.

"That's it?" The mayor was clearly exasperated. "Isn't there anything else you can tell them?"

"That is all, Mayor," nodded the Great Healer. "I leave it up to you, Isaac... Garet." With that said, the Great Healer left the room, leaving an uneasy silence behind.

"...Hey," piped up one of the healers. "Isn't it almost... time to meditate?"

"Er... Oh yeah! Meditation! Let's go!" Quickly, the two healers followed suit.

"...Well, what good are those guys?" the mayor cursed. "Sending children off with no help or direction... this is ridiculous!"

"I agree, but... They didn't give us any other choice," sighed Dora.

"...Then, when should they go?" asked the mayor quietly.

"It doesn't sound like we can afford to wait."

"...Tomorrow, then?"

"Tomorrow?... Alright."

* * *

Without a word, Isaac packed his things that night. A cotton shirt, a short sword, padded gloves, healing herbs. Dora had already retired to bed. 

The Earth Adept sighed.

"Rew?"

"I'm fine, Sandshrew." Isaac smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile, then walked to his bedroom window. Gazing out, the peaceful scene of Vale at night met his eyes. The moon was full, casting a comforting aura amongst the wooden houses. It hardly seemed like the end of the world, and Isaac wished he could stay.

As much as he knew he couldn't.

"Saaaand."

"...Let's go to sleep, Sandshrew," murmured Isaac. Nodding, the Ground-type Mouse curled up on the bed as Isaac took his reclining position.

"We've got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

And with that, the last candle flame in Vale that night flickered out.

* * *

The next morning, in the plaza... 

"Hey, why's everyone hanging around the town gate?" wondered a girl.

"What, didn't you hear?" asked a boy next to her. "Isaac and Garet are leaving Vale on a journey."

"Oh, I wish I could go!" the girl simpered.

"I hear it's going to be really dangerous!" the boy piped up.

"Oh, yeah? So everyone's down there to say good-bye?" The girl paused as she looked over at the crowd by the gate.

"Hey, what's the matter?" asked the boy.

"Weird. Isaac's mother isn't there to see him off!" remarked the girl.

"You're right. She's not there," the boy agreed after some observation.

"...Hey, should we go say good-bye, too?"

"Sure! Let's go!" Together, the two children ran to join the crowd that had gathered by the town entrance.

"We are counting on you, Isaac," nodded the Great Healer. "Oh, and you, too, Garet."

"Remember, don't use your Psynergy unless you really, really have to. Don't let anyone see you use it. Don't drink the water if it smells funny. And... take this with you, too." So saying, Garet's sister handed an extra Herb to Isaac. "Thanks, Kay."

"I know not to drink stagnant water, Sis!" whined Garet.

"Don't listen to him, Isaac!" teased Garet's younger brother. "He's a pig! He'll eat anything that's not tied down!"

"AARON!" snarled Garet, half growling, half laughing.

"Hmm... Dora is very late..." mused a healer. Garet's family looked quite sullen at that comment.

"Oh! That's right!" At once, Aaron walked over to the Earth Adept. "Aunty Dora asked me to give this to you, Isaac."

"These are... her Catch Beads," realised Isaac.

"I guess we're all set to go, huh, Isaac?" smirked Garet.

"Think again, Garet!" Kay chided. "It must be very difficult for Dora..."

"As Garet's mother, I know how Dora must be feeling," spoke the auburn-haired woman. "But I still have Garet's father, while Dora has only Isaac. She doesn't want you to go, Isaac, but she knows you have to, and it hurts to see you leave," she said sadly. Isaac winced as heads nodded in silent agreement. Earlier he'd promised to his mother he would not return until he'd fulfilled his mission... now he wasn't so sure.

"They can't keep standing around here like this, or they'll never leave," nodded the mayor solemnly. "So, one final farewell!"

"**Farewell!**" bellowed the crowd.

"...This is it," breathed Isaac, as he turned towards the entrance arch. "Let's go!"

"Alright!" "Sandshrew!" "Torchic chic!"

* * *

As they advanced down the path, the mountain village of Vale soon began to disappear from view, and the hilly terrain gave way to grasslands and dirt paths. 

"Man, this blows..." Garet sighed, kicking a random pebble in his path. "Where do you think we should go?"

"Well, I tried to ask around," Isaac unfurled a piece of paper on which he had drawn a crude map. "The nearest village from here is Vault, southeast from our current position. We can get there before nightfall."

"I suppose it's better than nowhere," shrugged Garet. "...Hey, what's that?"

"Huh?" The two boys stopped. Both of them had noticed the floating, spiky, brown creature hovering around in front of their very eyes.

"Oh! A travelling warrior!" The strange creature realised it was not alone and floated around the two boys like a pixie. "And I see you're an Adept, too!" it grinned, flying around as if inspecting Isaac and Garet. The travelling pair took a step back. Whatever this thing was, it knew way too much.

"You are just the kind of fighter that I've been looking for. Won't you please take me along with you?" pleaded the creature.

"Who... What are you?" asked Garet warily.

"Me? I am a Venus Djinni. My name is Flint," the creature introduced. "I must find my comrades. We were separated from each other when the volcano erupted. ...Maybe you can help gather my friends together as you travel."

"Hey, wait a..."

"If you let me join you, I'll prove to be very beneficial to you Adepts!" Flint chattered. "Your Psynergy will grow stronger, and your Adept skills will also improve. You can call on us in battle or just use our power to boost your own! If you call on many of us at once, our powers will work together!"

"Hold up!" Garet yelled. "Isaac, what do you think? Can we trust this... Djinni?"

"...He's a Djinni," repeated Isaac. "Both the Wise One and the Great Healer mentioned the Elemental Djinn. And the Great Healer said they would prove useful... I think we can trust him."

"So howsabout it?" asked Flint hopefully. "Will you take me with you?"

"...I don't see why not," smiled the Earth Adept.

"Oh, you'll see! You won't regret it!" Flint squeaked. "Now, I'll briefly teach you how to use Djinn. After bringing a Djinn into your party, you must set it to somebody."

"Set?" repeated Garet.

"Setting a Djinni improves your abilities and, if you combine different elemental Djinn with different elemental Adept, the Psynergy you can use and other attributes may change," explained Flint. "Here! I'll show you!"

"Hey! Get off me!" Garet yelled as Flint danced all around him, coating him with Earth Psynergy. "Now try to use your Mars Psynergy!"

"Alright, whatever. Flare!" shouted Garet, expecting a wall of flame to explode from his fingertips. To his surprise, not even a flicker appeared. "What... what did you do?"

"When I combined my Earth Psynergy with your Mars abilities, your powers changed!" Flint grinned. "Now try to use Growth!"

"Growth?... Whatever you say," Garet shrugged, then tried again. "_Growth_!"

"Whoa!" Both boys jumped back as the combination spell summoned a storm of vines from beneath the ground nearby, reaching as high as they were. "...Wicked," was all Garet could say in response.

"Next, I'll show you how you can use us in battle," continued Flint as he flew over to Isaac, connecting their Psynergy together. "Each Djinni has different powers. Once we are set, you can unleash us to use our powers. So, let me demonstrate the power of my attack, Isaac." As he finished, a monster loomed from behind a group of trees.

"Aha! A zombified Charmeleon. Perfect!" Flint smiled as Isaac unsheathed his short sword, ready for combat.

"To unleash a Djinn like me in battle, you have to command it," instructed Flint. "For me, I'm used to strike a blow that can cleave stone. Try it!"

"Okay! Go, Flint!" As he spoke, Isaac's body suddenly lunged forward on its own accord. Earth Psynergy started to gather in his sword as he raised it in midair, forming the shape of a Venus Djinni. Swinging his blade, Isaac slammed the Charmeleon on the head with his weapon. Due to the Psynergy surrounding his sword, the effect of his attack was more like swinging a hammer than a blade. The undead monster staggered backwards with a dazed look on its rotting face.

"See! When you unleashed me, I attacked with my mighty stone-cleaver!" Flint explained. "After being unleashed, we Djinn will then stand by to be summoned... If you have standby Djinn, you can summon even greater powers! Try it! Summon Venus!"

"Alright... I call upon the elemental power of the earth," chanted Isaac as he raised his sword. "VENUS!" At once, rings of Psynergy burst from Isaac's body. The image of a Venus Djinni flew from above and danced around its targets, causing huge mounds of Earth Psynergy to explode from the ground, catching the enemy within them and dealing monumental damage. Softly, the zombie shattered into rotten patches of skin and bones, leaving Isaac gasping for breath.

"See! We Djinn can be very useful, can't we?" puffed Flint. "And one more thing... After a Djinni has been used to summon, it must spend time in recovery. And after we recover, we will set ourselves again and be ready to attack. So, we go from set to standby to recovery, then back to set. Got all that?"

"I think so," Isaac panted.

"Okay, I'll join you now. Thank you very much!" Flint smiled. "Please, use us Djinn wisely."

Immediately, Flint started to phase into the ground, erupting forth in a stream of Psynergetic spires, before coming back down in the form of Psynergy orbs, collecting to form the shape of a yellow Pokéball with a texture like clay.

"Cool," enthused Garet.

"Yeah," agreed Isaac. "Maybe this won't be so hard after all... Let's go, guys! To Vault!"

* * *

_And, with renewed confidence and the prospects of new allies, Isaac begins his arduous journey with the town of Vault as his current destination. Little does he know, both new friends -- as well as enemies -- lie just around the corner..._

* * *

_Props to HQ for proofreading, and graciously approving my take on his original concept. We thank you for your kind attention._


End file.
